Park
Ridge, Ill. -- The American Association of Nurse Anesthetists advises the
wearers of latex gloves to beware of the occupational health hazards posed by
exposure to products made of natural rubber latex (NRL).
NRL allergies,
which afflict between 8 percent and 25 percent of healthcare workers, may
adversely affect individuals in other occupations. Postal workers, office mail
handlers, airport security personnel and toll collectors -- who wear latex
gloves to protect against viral infections caused by anthrax, small pox and
other bioterrorist threats -- run the risk of developing and spreading NRL
allergies. These allergies cause a host of unpleasant symptoms ranging from
skin irritations, sneezing, wheezing and coughing, to anaphylaxis, a severe
immune system reaction characterized by breathing difficulties and low blood
pressure that can cause shock or even death.
Regular skin
contact with gloves made of NRL or latex blends represent one of the easiest
ways to develop an allergy. Hairdressers, who wear latex gloves to process and
color hair, as well as postal workers and toll collectors, who wear them to
distribute mail or handout change, may develop skin rashes. Rubber and tire
workers can develop latex allergies during manufacturing. Food industry
personnel, who wear latex gloves during the course of their job, can
contaminate food and spread NRL allergies to co-workers.
What are Latex
Allergies?
Allergies to latex, the milky sap of the rubber tree Hevea brasiliensis,
can be described as an antigenic response to the proteins found in NRL. The
three recognized reactions to latex include:
-
non-allergic
irritant contact dermatitis
-
type IV
cell-mediated allergies
-
type I
IgE-mediated allergies.
Non-allergic
irritants contact dermatitis, a skin rash, commonly affects the regular
wearers of powdered and non-powdered latex gloves. Type IV cell-mediated
allergies, the most common immune system reaction to latex, represent a
delayed hypersensitivity to one or more of the 300-plus chemicals used to
manufacture latex. Type IV suffers typically develop allergic contact
dermatitis within 49 to 96 hours of exposure and, through continued exposure,
may acquire the antibodies that can trigger a type I latex allergy.
Type I
IgE-mediated allergies represent an immediate hypersensitivity to actual latex
proteins and include two subgroups. The first causes hives, itchy and watery
eyes, runny nose, sneezing, wheezing, asthma, abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea
and skin rashes. The second and more serious, causes anaphylaxis.
How Latex
Allergies Spread and Cross-React with Food
Ongoing exposure to products made of NRL, especially direct skin contact with
gloves, causes most allergic reactions. Surgical procedures cause some of the
most severe reactions because latex comes into direct contact with moist areas
of the body and internal surfaces causing faster, easier absorption of the
allergen. Inhalation of airborne proteins, released when powdered gloves get
snapped off, can enter the eyes or mucous membranes and also cause a reaction.
In addition,
latex-sensitive individuals should avoid exposure to bananas, avocados, kiwis,
peaches, cherries, apricots, figs, papayas, tomatoes, potatoes and chestnuts.
These fruits, vegetables and nuts contain the same allergy-producing proteins
found in NRL and can trigger a reaction. Genetically engineered fruits and
vegetables contain the same DNA markers as latex and should be avoided as
well.
Ways to Screen
For and Prevent Latex Allergies
Skin prick, skin patch and radioallergosorbent (RAST) tests screen for latex
allergies. Skin prick tests, which can induce anaphylactic shock, should be
performed only under the supervision of an allergy specialist and with
appropriate emergency backup equipment on hand. RAST tests identify specific
IgE antibodies to latex in the blood and confirm an NRL allergy diagnosis. The
current unavailability of a standard by which to benchmark the skin prick,
skin patch and RAST tests can produce inconclusive results, such as false
positives and negatives, that require further testing or a diagnosis based on
patient medical history.
Though no cure
exists, healthcare workers and others at risk of developing latex allergies
can minimize their exposure to products containing NRL. Food service employees
can practice good hygiene, such as hand washing, and avoid wearing latex
gloves. Safety workers, firefighters and emergency medical technicians can
select personal protective equipment, such as respirators, aprons, boots and
gloves that are free of NRL. Air filtration and ventilation systems, which
maintain a dust-free environment, can help to prevent exposure to aerosolized
latex proteins.
Talking Points
About Latex Allergies
Fact Sheet
Creating a
Latex-Safe School for Latex-Sensitive Children
Latex Allergy
Protocol
